65: Chapter 65 Xuan Wuzi

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Zhandao's eyes flashed with a sharp light, like lightning striking in the darkness, instantly illuminating the look of realization on his face.

He hastily bowed, bending his waist deeply, his tone filled with heartfelt submission and admiration—

"Your Majesty's insight is brilliant! This arrangement not only showcases the magnificent Aura of our Great Wu Imperial Dynasty but also gathers the attention of the Hundred Dynasties under our command. It kills two birds with one stone, planning strategies within a tent and deciding victory a thousand miles away! Your subject... is truly impressed!"

Emperor Wu Tianba waved his hand slightly, a casual gesture that carried an unquestionable majesty.

He sat upright on the dragon throne, his figure becoming increasingly high-spirited. His imperial Aura spread out like a tidal wave, filling the entire hall and making it hard for people to breathe.

This Aura was not deliberately released but was innate, seeped into his very bones—it was the confidence of controlling vast lands and millions of lives, the spirit of overlooking the common people and looking down upon the world.

"Pass on my decree!"

He spoke, his voice booming like a bell, echoing through the empty hall—

"The venue for the Hundred Dynasties War shall be expanded threefold, effective immediately! Build endless jade palaces and towers, with an Aura so majestic it shakes the heavens and earth! Let everyone who steps into the Imperial Capital be awestruck by the grandeur and foundation of my Great Wu Imperial Dynasty at first glance! Let them know who the true master of this Southern Region is!"

He paused, and his tone shifted abruptly.

When he mentioned the name "Xuanyuan Zhanxian," the high-spirited light in his eyes instantly sank—like a cloudless sky suddenly covered in dark clouds, like a storm brewing beneath a calm sea capable of devouring everything.

"Additionally, you must keep the matter regarding Xuanyuan Zhanxian strictly confidential. Not even a whisper of wind can be leaked."

His voice lowered, but it was more heart-trembling than his booming tone earlier.

Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying deep-seated pain and unshakable determination—

"I will absolutely not allow the tragedy of the past to happen a second time!"

He gritted his teeth on the last few words.

The ruthlessness in his tone was like an ice blade in mid-winter, instantly lowering the temperature inside the hall.

In this ruthlessness, there was a father's guilt, an emperor's rage, and the near-manic desire to protect that comes after years of forbearance when hope is finally seen.

Xuanyuan Zhandao felt a chill in his heart, as if a basin of ice water had been poured over his head.

He quickly lowered his head, his voice low and firm, as if taking an oath—

"Your subject obeys the decree! I will surely keep my mouth shut and ensure nothing goes wrong!"

Outside the hall, the night grew deep.

Palace lanterns were lit one after another. The dim yellow halos shone through the carved window lattices, casting mottled, intersecting shadows on the polished floor.

The light and shadows swayed gently with the evening breeze, like the countless invisible undercurrents in this deep palace, quietly surging under the cover of night.

Emperor Wu Tianba stood up and walked to the palace door.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing through layers of palace walls, crossing thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, and passing through the vast night—landing straight on the distant, mist-shrouded, and faintly visible Changsheng Peak.

There, his son was facing a lone lamp, focusing on cultivation.

He could almost see—

The young man had sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes. Between his brows, there was both the innate sharpness belonging to a royal descendant and a hidden, otherworldly detachment from the mundane world.

This detachment was incompatible with the heavy schemes of the deep palace, and felt like another world compared to the deceit of imperial power.

Like a pine tree standing alone in the world, it stood proudly amidst the clouds on the mountain peak.

Emperor Wu Tianba stood there for a long time, motionless.

The night wind blew his dragon robe, making it rustle. He did not turn back, just watched the distance quietly, watching the direction that could not be seen but was engraved in his heart.

And at the other end of the Imperial Capital—deep within the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

The candlelight flickered, brightening and dimming, like the eyes of ghosts flickering in the darkness.

This dim yellow halo illuminated a hunched, elderly figure, casting a twisted and eerie shadow on the wall.

The old man held a Jade Slip, his fingertips gently stroking the spiritual light flowing on it.

After seeing the message clearly, the corners of his mouth slowly curled into a meaningful and playful smile—in that smile, there was the cruelty of a cat playing with a mouse, the contempt of looking down from above, and a trace of barely perceptible... excitement.

He applied slight pressure with his fingers.

With a soft "pop," the Jade Slip instantly shattered, turning into specks of white light that dissipated into the air, like fireflies scattered by the wind, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

Leaving only a bone-chilling whisper that echoed eerily in the empty Imperial Ancestral Temple—

"Back then... I only crippled your Spiritual Root."

He paused, his laughter like the cry of a night owl, making one's hair stand on end—

"It seems that was still too easy for you."

Before the words faded, steady footsteps were heard outside the hall.

A man wearing a golden dragon-patterned Daoist robe and a golden jade hairpin walked in slowly.

His posture was as upright as a pine tree, his steps as steady as a mountain, and faint Dragon Qi lingered around him, as if he were a deity walking among men—he was the current Imperial Preceptor, Xuan Longzi.

Xuan Longzi walked up to the old man, bowed respectfully, and kept his voice extremely low, as if afraid of disturbing some existence that should not be disturbed—

"Old Ancestor."

He raised his head, his gaze heavy: "Emperor Wu Tianba seems to have discovered the whereabouts of Xuanyuan Zhanxian. Recently, he has been making frequent moves, secretly deploying manpower to gather information... I fear he intends to act against us."

The old man—Xuan Wuzi, turned around slowly.

The flickering candlelight illuminated his face, which was covered in wrinkles yet still had eyes like lightning.

In these eyes, there was not a trace of an old man's cloudiness, only bottomless coldness and ruthlessness, like a venomous snake lurking in the abyss, ready to strike and devour at any moment.

He looked at Xuan Longzi, a cold smile appearing on his face.

That smile was more terrifying than not smiling at all.

"And what if he has discovered it?"

He spoke, his tone full of disdain, as if talking about an ant that didn't know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth—

"Back then, I could easily cripple his Spiritual Root, cut off his path of cultivation, and reduce him to a waste, lingering in the deep palace for over a decade! Now, even if he has been in hiding for many years and luckily obtained some Opportunity..."

He paused, and the killing intent in his eyes surged—

"I can still cripple him again! I will make sure he never has a chance to rise again!"

Xuan Longzi frowned slightly and said in a low voice: "But this time, with Xuanyuan Zhandao here, I fear it will not be easy for us to act rashly. After all..."

He hesitated for a moment, then said it anyway: "Xuanyuan Qing'er died by our hands back then. If Xuanyuan Zhandao finds out about this, given his personality, he will definitely fight us with all his might. Although that old thing is elderly, his cultivation is unfathomable. If he fights for his life..."

"Xuanyuan Zhandao?"

Xuan Wuzi interrupted him, a sharp look flashing in his eyes, his tone full of exposed killing intent that almost solidified—

"A man who should have turned to bones a hundred years ago, yet he is lucky enough to have survived until now!"

He flicked his sleeve violently!

A blood-red jade talisman emitting an icy, sinister Aura slid from his sleeve and floated above his aged palm. The talisman was only the size of a palm, yet it exuded a heart-trembling Aura—as if it contained countless sealed vengeful souls, silently wailing, struggling, and cursing.

"Even if he were a living immortal—"

Xuan Wuzi's voice came as if from the Nine Netherworlds, cold and bone-chilling—

"With this Soul-Devouring Blood Talisman, he cannot escape death!"

Xuan Longzi's expression changed abruptly when he saw the jade talisman!

The change was as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in the world, and even his voice trembled—

"Soul-Devouring Blood Talisman? Old Ancestor, this is a forbidden talisman refined with thousands of living souls! Once used, it will surely invoke the wrath of heaven and resentment of the people, and invite the Righteous Path of the world to attack us in unison! You are intending to..."

"Intending what?"

Xuan Wuzi suddenly activated his spiritual power!

In an instant, the blood-colored jade talisman erupted with blinding red light! The light, as if congealed from blood, dyed the entire Imperial Ancestral Temple in an eerie crimson.

The runes twisted, condensed, and surged in the Void Realm, eventually turning into a ferocious blood Dragon with bared fangs and brandished claws!

The blood Dragon circled above the hall, its eyes blood-red, its whiskers swaying, and on its Dragon scales, countless twisted human faces could be faintly seen struggling in pain.

A nauseating stench filled the air in the hall, as if one were in a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.

Xuan Wuzi looked up at the blood Dragon, his eyes filled with madness and fanaticism—

"With me here, this Great Wu Imperial Dynasty will forever only be a Puppet of my Wu Clan!"

He lowered his head, his gaze like a knife, piercing toward Xuan Longzi—

"Emperor Wu Tianba wants to break free from control? Wishful thinking! Xuanyuan Zhanxian wants revenge? Overestimating himself! They are just a bunch of ants, yet they dare to attempt to act in a Heaven-Defying manner!"

He changed the subject and ordered Xuan Longzi—

"Also, Longzi, you go and arrange it immediately. Put pressure on the Great Xia Dynasty. No matter what means you use—threats or inducements, ceding land and paying indemnities, or promising heavy profits—you must make them do everything in their power to force Xuanyuan Zhanxian to come and participate in the Hundred Dynasties War!"

The corners of his mouth curled into a cruel smile—

"As long as he steps into the Imperial Capital, it will be his death day!"

Xuan Longzi showed a difficult expression and asked hesitatingly—

"Old Ancestor, applying such forced pressure will likely cause dissatisfaction in the Great Xia Dynasty and even make other dynasties aware of the abnormality. If the plan from above is ruined, wouldn't the loss outweigh the gain?"

"There is no such thing as loss or gain!"

Xuan Wuzi interrupted him sharply, his tone cold and bone-chilling, carrying an unquestionable majesty—

"This is the order from above! You just need to do as you are told and stop worrying about other things! Where do you get so much nonsense from?"

Xuan Longzi felt a chill in his heart, as if a basin of ice water had been poured over his head.

Knowing that there was no room for maneuver in this matter, he quickly lowered his head and replied—

"Yes, Old Ancestor, I will go do it immediately!"

After speaking, he turned and walked away quickly, not daring to stay for even a second.

The footsteps gradually faded away and finally disappeared into the night.

Xuan Wuzi watched his hurriedly retreating figure, then looked down at the blood Dragon circling in his palm, and suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly.

The laughter echoed in the hall, full of arrogance, full of cruelty, and full of unbridled conceit—

"Mere ants, yet they dare to attempt to act in a Heaven-Defying manner and contend with my Wu Clan..."

He paused, his smile becoming more ferocious—

"Truly ridiculous!"

Three days later. Great Xia Dynasty, Royal Capital—Xianing City.

The vermilion palace gates stood towering, glowing with a gentle luster under the morning sun. The white marble steps in front of the palace gate were swept spotless, shimmering slightly in the sunlight.

Princess Xia Zhiqing wore a pale purple palace dress, the hem embroidered with exquisite intertwined lotus patterns. As she walked, she looked like a fluttering butterfly, light and elegant. She only wore a mutton-fat jade hairpin in her hair, with no other adornments, yet she appeared even more elegant and moving. Without any makeup, she naturally possessed the beauty of a lotus flower emerging from water.

She waited personally in front of the palace gate.

From afar, she saw four figures coming from the horizon, stepping on clouds.

Princess Xia Zhiqing immediately walked up quickly, a warm and sincere smile spreading across her face. The smile was like the first ray of sunshine in spring, warm but not blinding, bright but not flashy. She bowed, her tone as gentle as a spring breeze brushing against the face—

"Grand Elder Chu, Senior Brother Xuanyuan, Senior Sister Jian, Senior Brother Chu, the journey has been long and tiring, thank you for your hard work!"

Princess Xia Zhiqing's palace, although not as grand, magnificent, or resplendent as the Great Wu Imperial Palace, had a unique elegance and tranquility like a water town in the south of the Yangtze River.

Pavilions and towers were scattered in the garden, with flying eaves and upturned corners faintly visible under the shade of green trees. A bluestone path wound through them, and both sides were planted with exotic flowers and rare herbs. As the breeze blew, the fragrance of flowers overflowed, and the air was filled with a faint scent. Living water was introduced into the garden to form a pond, where koi fish played. Their tail fins brushed across the water surface, creating circles of ripples, shimmering with fine light in the sun.

Everything exuded a sense of comfort and tranquility that was just right, making anyone who stepped into it relax unconsciously, instantly forgetting the fatigue of the journey.

"I have already ordered people to prepare clear tea and quiet rooms. Everyone has been traveling, so you can rest here for a while to relieve your fatigue."

Princess Xia Zhiqing's conduct was appropriate, and her words were thoughtful. As she spoke, her gaze wandered, lingering for a moment especially on Chu Changsheng.

In that look, there was an imperceptible respect and admiration—after all, Chu Changsheng's cultivation and reputation had long since made her admire him from the bottom of her heart.

This was a kind of awe looking up at a high mountain in the clouds, a kind of submission when facing a bottomless abyss, heartfelt and without any pretense.

Chu Changsheng nodded slightly.

His expression was as calm as still water, without waves or ripples, without joy or sorrow.

The Aura around him was as light as the wind, as if he had merged with the flowers, plants, and trees in the garden, natural and not abrupt.

He spoke, his voice calm and waveless, like a clear mountain stream flowing over stones—

"Junior Xia, you are thoughtful."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three Disciples, then falling back on Princess Xia Zhiqing—

"The matter of the Hundred Dynasties War is, in itself, an Opportunity for you young people to train and grow. You may discuss and arrange it yourselves; there is no need to worry about me. Just arrange a quiet courtyard for me where I can focus on my cultivation."

This voice was as clear as a stream, and when it flowed through people's hearts, it carried a sense of detachment from the world.

It was as if the disputes of the world had nothing to do with him, as if the victory, defeat, honor, and disgrace of this Hundred Dynasties War were nothing but passing smoke and clouds, not worth his concern.

He specifically addressed her as "Junior Xia"—

A pun with double meaning.

It quietly drew a line between the "Grand Elder" and the Junior, placing himself in a transcendent position outside the disputes; it was also a subtle hint to Princess Xia Zhiqing that she did not need to be disrupted by his arrival, nor did she need to be overly nervous, let alone make special arrangements.

Everything should proceed as usual.

How intelligent was Princess Xia Zhiqing?

Upon hearing this, her heart shivered, and she instantly understood Chu Changsheng's deep meaning. That shiver was not fear, but the clarity after being awakened, a tacit understanding.

She immediately bowed, her posture respectfully just right—neither losing etiquette nor being overly humble. Her tone was respectful and sincere—

"Yes, Grand Elder Chu. I have prepared the quietest 'Tingzhu Garden' in the palace for you. Only two cleaning maids will remain in the garden to handle chores; absolutely no one will dare to disturb your cultivation."

She raised her head, her eyes clear as water—

"Please rest assured."

Chu Changsheng nodded slightly, accepting it.

In the distance, bamboo shadows swayed, rustling.

As if predicting that the winds and clouds of this Hundred Dynasties War had only just begun.